A DIABETIC dad told how he was living off just £20 when his Job Seeker’s Allowance was stopped and he was refused food bank vouchers.

Paul Docherty was made redundant in December following a 15-year stint as an underwriter for an insurance company.

But due to health issues, he was let go and left to join the thousands of people vying for jobs in North Ayrshire after signing on at the Job Centre.

After six months, the 54-year-old from Bourtreehill was told he would no longer receive benefits and in a desperate move to keep his family’s heads above water, Paul called North Ayrshire Council to be referred to the food bank for emergency supplies.

However, Paul was told that his application wouldn’t be cleared due to his circumstances and the dad-of-one was left with nowhere to turn after the Citizen’s Advice Bureau also told him that they were unable to offer support.

In an astonishing revelation, Paul said he was told by a Job Centre adviser that, in order to qualify for benefit to cover his mortgage interest payments, he should convince his wife Annmarie to quit one of her two part-time jobs, which see her working a combined total of 20 hours a week and earning just £130.

As Paul explained, when bills and existing financial commitments are taken into account, Annmarie’s wage spreads thin quickly.

He added: “We’re told by the government that support will be there for people who want to work hard and get on, and yet I was advised that Annmarie should quit one of her jobs in order for us to be entitled to help with the mortgage payments.

“I’m trying desperately hard to find work and have even travelled to England to find employment, but quite often I’m being told I’m over-qualified for posts – I don’t know what to do.”

When Paul phoned the council, he was told by a customer service adviser that they could run through the application, but that it would be a waste of his time as it wouldn’t be accepted.

Now, Paul has been forced to consider mortgaging his house to rent in order to keep a roof over his family’s head and put food on the table.

However, in a cruel twist of irony, living in a three-bedroom house could see Paul having to fork out for Bedroom Tax as the house would be deemed to have a spare bedroom.

But despite finding himself in impossible circumstances, a humble Paul has kept an impressive sense of perspective.

He said: “It’s true that things are tough at the moment for me, Annmarie and our son.

“We have nowhere to go, no other family and no Plan B. Every organisation I’ve turned to so far has said it can’t help us.

“However, there are people out there in far worse situations, facing war and starvation and so on, and so I keep that in mind while trying to get out the mess we find ourselves in.”

Paul was keen to highlight what he sees as a lack of information that is available to people who find themselves suddenly in a situation like his.

“Many people probably think that if they find themselves in bother, they can simply pick up the phone and everything will be sorted, but that’s not the case.

“The process to get help seems quite lengthy, and it’s not particularly clear in the first place just exactly what help is out there for those who find themselves in dire straits – there needs to be more clarity surrounding food banks and financial support for people.”

A council spokesman said that North Ayrshire Council will be providing further information on how people like Paul can get help.

SNP welfare minister, Margaret Burgess, said she was shocked to hear of Paul’s situation and that austerity measures have left unemployed people facing an uphill struggle.

She added: “The horror stories arising from the UK Government austerity programme continue.

“That is why the Scottish Government has its social wage with free prescriptions and the council tax freeze, and has put more money into its Scottish Welfare Fund to seek to mitigate the damage being done to our people.”